DIY wireless firing system?

[50AE]

Excellent work! Nice to see another such useful and well made electronic tool!

[busspuppy]

I would think 2.4g system would be the way to go. Unless you arm the system remotely inteference could ignite the devices while you are engaging you are arming the system. I don't know much about wireless firing systems but don't you have to be next to them to arm them or can you do it by remote? I might be a 1 out of a million chance for a inference band wave to ignite the device right as you are arming the system but it can happen and in my epirence if something can happen it usually will over time.

 

 

[50AE]

You don't have to be over the mortars while turning on the system. I have a 4 meter cable from the racks to the device.

[Upper2bits]

Has anyone seen a visual approach to this? We're thinking of using and iPad to control the queue and timings. It would cost a little more but would give really accurate control over when things fire and also allow for mid show changes.

[dagabu]

Has anyone seen a visual approach to this? We're thinking of using and iPad to control the queue and timings. It would cost a little more but would give really accurate control over when things fire and also allow for mid show changes.

 

iPads don't do well in the field without a good case, weather and debris are enemies of sensitive electronics.

 

-dag

[Sinken]

One problem,

When you do this don't use a common frequency.If you do an outside source may interfere as you are hooking up the system and ignite every firework you hooked it up to.

 

It's not really a problem if you program the microships yourself. If you do, you just say that it won't expect any commands without "123" infront of it, sort of.

 

Has anyone seen a visual approach to this? We're thinking of using and iPad to control the queue and timings. It would cost a little more but would give really accurate control over when things fire and also allow for mid show changes.

 

Can't see why it would be more expensive? Unless you have to pay someone to program it for you. And as dagabu says, it's not really fit for the job. Maybe use a cellphone instead?

 

Edit: Didn't look at the date, sorry. Is there any way to delete posts?

Edited May 21, 2013 by Sinken

[mike_au]

It's not really a problem if you program the microships yourself. If you do, you just say that it won't expect any commands without "123" infront of it, sort of.

 

Since the thread has been necromanced anyway, I feel like I should point out that this isn't sufficient protection. The biggest risk isn't from a stray radio signal creating a perfectly valid command (unless you are using an AM radio, in which case all bets are off), it is from interference causing corruption of your legitimate signal. Any wireless device controlling anything even slightly dangerous should use check digits at the very least, preferably full checksums and a read back system where the command is confirmed before being used.

[wrongway]

Awsome info!

 

Thanks!

[pyromagi]

I made a prototype just to try and see if this kind of system would work, and it worked well.

I had a succesfull firing this newyear firing 3" to 8" shells.

 

 

First try:

Second:

 

So, i'm currently upgrading this box with a Beaglebone black instead of the Raspberry PI (to get totally 64 GPIO pins) and totally 4x 16-channel relay cards.

I have also coded a webinterface which is hosted by the Beaglebone black and accessed over WiFi on my Laptop/iPad och iPhone.

 

Webinterface: http://pyromagi.eu/firesys/

 

I will also replace the connections in the case to two 10" patchpanels with 8 RJ45 connections each. I'm adding 2x RJ45 on each mortarrack to connect the rack to the case.

 

This way i can setup everything onsite, and just plug and play when it's time.

It's also possible to script the sequences, and make it start/stop at pretty exact time using ntp

 

I know some (perhaps most) people are aginst relays due to potential shocks from the larger shells might trigger ALL, that could be avoided by simply have the case far from the shells, or place the case on some shockabsorbing material.

Edited January 8, 2014 by pyromagi

[jaysgoh]

Hey guys, I enjoying see yours homemade electronic box, I wanna build one but I'm not good at electronic.

I going buy 12 relay controller. I might need help with this.

I wanna extract the remote control switch to a suit case with led checking, warning sound, and 'all' firing. But I don't think so I can make it.

I burn my relay last time! I wonder why mine will burn?

What is your input voltage? Output voltage?

[schroedinger]

Goijenglook up Pyrouniverse.

Are you sure you burned your a relay and not one of microchips? That happend to my last board. Well was my own Fault, i powered the board which + and - attached wrong way. But what to say, shit happens.

 

For the fkring circuit itself, a power source capable of delivefin 3A over 3 s should have eniugh power.

 

Extracting the remote is not very hard anc make it work, but getting making the test bulps to respond inside an second device, isn't very easy. Best is, to integfate that into the main unit.

For having it inside your hand held remote, look into using multiple receiver / remote boards or best use a microprocessor setup like e.g. based on a raspberry pi.

[jaysgoh]

I think is relaaay. I using input 4cell lipo battery. After some testing of igniting steel wool, it pop a sound and some fried smell inside the console. After that, the relay works but no current will produce after I trigger, it got the sound 'tik *tok * but no output.. Sad..

[jaysgoh]

Seems like I need help from my dad. At least he know some.. But both of us got no time! I bought 10 feet of wires, looking for 12 relay controller board